i have recently bought a 18 month old halter bred quarter horse.he has done everything i taught him well, tying up,trailer loading,stopping, backing up, desenitizing, well now i want him to lounge and since i have a large arena instead of a round pen when i want him to go he just takes off down to the other end of the arena dragging me with him,he doesnt go to far as i have a stud chain on him at all times.but when he feels the stud chain he rears. ive been trying to get someone down to the barn to teach him for me but no ones responeded yet.he learns well but just needs a lot of time to think it over and when the whip/stick ( i use a clinton anderson stick) gets behind him he freaks out but when im not asking him to move he will let me all over him with the stick.any help???

its horse show time in tennessee!!!!!!!
what im not paranoid!!! ....whos asking???
proud to be a southerner!!!

I'm pretty sure he rears up because the stud chain hurts him. I would ditch the chain and invest in a good quality rope halter.

When you say he takes off, how exactly does he do it, what happens before he takes off? It could be he's just being a ratbag, but it could also be he's unconfident and is trying to get away, which is why more info about his body language would be helpful.

I'm pretty sure he rears up because the stud chain hurts him. I would ditch the chain and invest in a good quality rope halter.

When you say he takes off, how exactly does he do it, what happens before he takes off? It could be he's just being a ratbag, but it could also be he's unconfident and is trying to get away, which is why more info about his body language would be helpful.

hes a very freindly horse,when he takes off its just like hes trying to get away from something scary. he has never pinned his ears back.i dont think i can switch to a rope halter because he has always had on a stud chain from the time he was first handled(about two weeks ago) and he is pushy,not in a bad meaning way its just that he has been forgotten hi\s whole life after he was 3 days old and has just now gotten to be worked with as the owner was a breeder and he has over 30 horses. and he has never been petted exept by me about 2 weeks ago and he wants to be right there with me all the time. every time he bcomes pushy i back him away. but he still almost tramples me..

its horse show time in tennessee!!!!!!!
what im not paranoid!!! ....whos asking???
proud to be a southerner!!!

Well it sounds like you're dealing with a typical baby. I agree ditch the stud chain especially when lunging, use a cavesson if you want control over his head.

He can be friendly once he learns to respect you, which it sounds like he doesn't. If he's being pushy, you push back, end of story. The reason he's not listening to you is because you back away from him every time he comes in to your space. It's hard, but stop doing that, and push him away when he invades your space. Pitch a fit, wave your hands, flail your lead rope, get him to back up and generally tell him that its not okay and he needs to move away now. Have you ever seen a boss horse reprimand a submissive one? First they pin their ears, then they usually threaten to bite, then they actually bite/kick. Use that method of progression with him. Ask, tell, command.

That's probably why he's acting so ditzy, because he is under the impression he's running the show. If you have a round pen, free lunge him in that first before getting him on a line. Have you ever taught a horse to lunge a horse before? If not don't try to lunge him anymore until you can get someone to show you how or do it for you.

To me it sounds like he's getting unconfident with something. Maybe your energy is too high, or you are putting too much pressure on him, which makes him take off. Even if we think we are being soft, for some horses they need us to me ultra soft! So see how LITTLE it takes to get him to do something, and if you see him start getting tense (head up, body tension, can't look at you anymore, can't stand still, etc.) back off and retreat. Walk away, turn yourself side-on to him (taking all the pressure off), rub him until he's relaxed, etc. Then ask again.

I would go to guess that the stud chain is causing some of his "panicky" behavior. For some horses, that kind of pain (when he runs into it) only makes the situation worse, and in his case he rears because he hit a very hard wall, so it frightens him. A rope halter would still give you the advantage because it's thin and it's uncomfortable for a horse to lean on, but it's not going to hurt like a stud chain, plus it has knots for pressure points. It will give you more clear communication.

When he almost tramples you, I'm assuming this is while leading, how does he do it? Again I'm looking for body language specifics.....does he just try to plow right through you in a tense manner, does he come in with his shoulder, is his head turned away when he does it...things like that.

If you just recently got him, and he was unhandled when you did get him, you may be pushing too much on him at one time.. you may want to slow down. First off- you don't need a stud chain.. a horse should be able to be handled without a chain on the ground- if not he needs more ground work. Second- maybe try without your stick if he seems little he is afraid. You want to work with your horse, not against him.

I would lose the stud chain as well. Invest in a rope halter, they are cheap and when used properly, are the best tool to any horse person. There is a wide range in stiffness to very soft rope halters, stiff being most severe. This chain will only become a crutch for you in the end and if you want to train, you need to learn how to use your body and knowledge rather then a chain to give you a sense of control. I would start taking small steps. If you dont have a roundpen or any smaller enclosed areas, I would start asking him to lunge in a corner area. Start in about a 12 foot circle (small for better control) and just asking him to go forward at a WALK. If he pulls, you pull back and release when he is off your hands (dont let him lean on your hands, whatsoever) if he gets worked up and trots off thats fine for now because your goal is to have him go forward without pulling. You can work on his gaits later. I wouldnt use a whip or anything in your hand until he is comfortable with it all over his body and around him. By the sounds of it, he is not comfortable with that at all. Just use your own energy or voice cues to get him to go forward. If need be and he wont move, you can step into him and spank him with the end of your lunge line but for now try using your body, it will help also with you being in charge. Another important thing is to STAY IN ONE SPOT. I mean dont just stand there while he runs around you but keep your feet in a very small circle so he learns where his boundaries are. If he decides to give you a yank and try to drag you, be ready to plant your feet and do what you can (whatever that may be) to get his head back around and take him back to where you were and start over. Its sounds like a lot of things are causing him to want to drag you and once they know they can overpower you, it takes alot more work to get it out of them then to not have let them have the opportunity to begin with. Lunge him by the gate for now and gradually as you gain more control of him move away. Alot of people make the mistake of lunging out in the open or somewhere where the horse is worried about his surroundings so give him the benifit of the doubt by setting him up for success where hes comfortable gradually working away from that area. Could be weeks, but there is no time limit training horses. Ever.

If you have a round pen, then use it; this will limit his ability to 'run' from you.

You could also simply start with free longing, to give him the idea of what you are expecting of him, as far as working in a circle.

When you are asking him to "go" how are you going about it? Where are you positioned? And how is he postioned?

You may be confusing him in your 'directions' causing him to simply run out on you.

Try having him facing you, point in the direction you want him to go, and then tap his neck or shoulder to get him to move off away from you. Once he's moving, remove ALL pressure, and let him move in a circle around you.

I don't teach a horse to longe until he knows how to yield his hind, and front ends with little to no pressure from me; I want him to move off without having to cue him with a stick. He should also know how to back with a subtle cue as well.

"The ideal horseman has the courage of a lion, the patience of a saint, and the hands of a woman..."

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